Folding boat-top.



V BESTAVAILABLE i C. P. MQCLBLLAN.

FOLDING BOAT TOP.

APPLICATION rmm .mme. 1912.

1,052,076. I Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

2 BHEETBBKBET 1.

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0. P. MOGLELLAN. FOLDINQ'BOAT TOP. APPLICATION r n.zn MK. 10. 1912.

.1 ,076. v Patented Feb. 4, 19 13.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

BEST AVAlLABLE COP.

STATES PATENT oFFIoE- lien ARIES P TMAN'MQCLELLAN, or FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOELDING BOAT-TOP.

Be it known that I, CHARLES I. No- Cu-nmax, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertainnew and useful Improvements in Folding Boat lops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invcntion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Tins invention relates to tops for auto boats, launches and the like, and has for its object to provide a simple and ellicicnt top which can be quickly and easily set a J into operative position and fnrled or folded quickly, easily and compactly when the same is not in use.

\Vith this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction and urrangenientof the bows for supporting the boat top, and the invention also consists in the novel construction for mounting the bows.

The invention also consists in certain other novel details of construction and in combinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described and afterward specifically ointcd out in the appended claims.

Ite erring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating a small motor boatand the boat top applied thereon and in open or operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the boat top in a furled or folded position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustratin r the mounting of the bows. Fig. 4 is a si e elevation illustrating the boat top and details for holding the same in open or operative position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating the boat. top in a furled or folded position.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures in which;

1 indicates a motor boat of any size, design or construction the size of the boat being immaterial as ar as this invention is concerned as the top or spray hood can be quickly and easily applied to any open boat.

2 indicates the boat top which is preferably constructed of a suitable cotton duck Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

or' drill such as is usually employed for tents, awnings or the like, it being seen that the texture be closely woven in order to form a water-proof device. The bows to which the top fabric is secured are preferably arranged in groups 3 and 4, the forward group 3 comprising a plurality of bows, two being shown in the accompanying drawings. The forward group of bows 3 comprise a vertical how 5 and a forwardly rakingbow ti,which forwardly raking how (i is preferably pivoted to the vertical how 5 at the point 7 as clearly shown in the drawings. The after group of bows 1- comprise a vertical how 8 and an after raking bow 9, which raking how 9 is pivoted to the vertical how 8 at the point. 10 as clearly shown in the drawings, the arrangement of the two groups or bows being identical in this particular.

Suitably arranged on the waterway or decking of the boat surrounding the cockpit thereof and preferably attached to the combing of the cockpit is the mounting 11 for the top or spray hood, said mounting comprising a forward bracket 12 and an after )racket 13, both brackets 12 and 13 being provided with flanges 1 1 and 15 for connection with the deck or waterway 1t) and coaming 17 of the boat by means of wood screws, bolts or other approved fastenings, and connecting the two brackets 12 and 13 is a longitudinal guide rod 18, it being of course understood that this construction is duplicated on each side of the boat. Arranged on the forward bracket 12 and extending outwardly therefrom at right angles thereto is a stud It) to which stud 10 is connected it pivoted end 20, said pivoted end 20 being bifurcated as shown in Fig. 3 to straddle the reduced end of the stud 19 as is clearly apparent from the drawing. Upon this stud 19 the vertical how 5 of the forward group 3 is mounted, the end of said bow 5 being provided with a perforation 21 through which the stud 19 passes. It. will be understood from this specification that the term bows comprise also the metal mountings to which the wooden bows proper are attached, which metal mountings are designated by the letter A, the wooden bows proper being suitably connected to the metal mountings A by means of screws, rivets or other a proved fastenings as is clearly shown in tie drawings.

Referring now to the after group of bows 4 and in this connection articularly to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen tliat the vertical bow 8 is pivoted to a clip or yoke 22, which clip or yoke encompasses the longitudinal guide 18 and which is freely slidable thereon, and it will also appear that the upper end of the rear bracket 13 which carries the rear end of the longitudinal guide 18 extends a short distance above said guide and is provided near its extreme end with a notch 23. It will also appear from Figs. 3 and 4 that a hook .Z-t is provided on the vertical how 8 at the bottom thereof, which hook 24 is designed to engage the extension 25 of the rear bracket 13 in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Secured to the raking bows (3 and 9 of each group of bows are adjustable straps 26 and 27, said straps passing from the center of the said raking bows downwardly to the forward and utter deck of the boat, snap hooks 28 being preferably provided on the bottom ends of the straps 26 and 27 which engage eyes 29 secured to the deck of the boat in order to facilitate ready operation of the top the said straps 2t) and 27 being provided with a simple take-up construction as illustrated at 30 in order to uickly and readily adjust the lengths of tie straps 2G and 27 to conform to the height of the top, while a similar strap 60 leads rearwardly from the deck to the how 5.

Having thus fully described the several parts of the invention as applied to folding tops the operation of the invention is as follows: The mounting 11 being applied and secured to the boat in the manner as shown and described the top is arranged in o )orative )osilion by securing the fOl'Wlll't ad- 'ustaiile strap 20 in the manner as shown in l-"ig. 4, the after grou) ol' bows t being sliduble by means of tire yoke 22 on the longitudinal rods 18, said after group of bows are moved into position shown in Fig. 4 until the book 24 of the after group of bows passes over and engages the extension 25 of the rear bracket 13, and when in this position the rear securing strap 27 is hooked to the after deck of the boat in the manner illustrated in Fl 4. When the top has thus been arrunge in position the straps 26 and-27 are adjusted in order to draw the raking bows (l and 0 into their proper lposition so as to etlectually open the top ant to maintain the same in a smooth unwrinkled position. The top being thus set up the same is entirely permanent and cannot be moved out of its open position until the rear strap 27 is unhookcd or slacked away to allow the hook 524 on the after group of bows to become disengaged from the rear bracket 13 as shown in Fig. 3. When the rear group of bows are in this position the same are moved forwardly in the longitudinal guide rods 18 until said rear group of bows engage the forward group of bows 3 and when all of the bows are at the forward ends of the longitudinal rods 18 all of said bows are folded forwardly upon the forward deck of the boat in the. position as shown in Fig. 5 which neatly and compactly folds or furls the top in the position as shown in such manner that the top is entirely out of the way of the occupants of the boat and in no sense interferes with the proper handling or steering of the boat and is in ready position to be instantly set up into operative position as shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described the invention it is at once obvious that many immaterial changes or modifications in the details of construction can be employed without departing from the SJlIlt of this invention and I consider myse f clearly entitled to all such changes or modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is:-

l. A top of the character described comprising longitudinal guide rods, supporting brackets therefor at each end of Suit guide rods, a vertical bow pivoted to the supporting bracket at. one end of said guide rods, a bow pivoted to said how, av slidable yoke arranged on each of said guide rods, a bow iivoted to each of said slidable yokes, a [00k on said last mentioned how attached to engage the supporting bracket on one end of each of said guide rods to hold said how and said slidable clip against movement of said guide rods, a bow nvoted to said lastmentioned bow and a suitalilecovering arranged on said how, substantially as described.

.2. top of the character described comprising longitudinal guide rods, supporting u'uckels therefor at each end of saw guide rods, a vertical bow pivoted to the supporting brackets at one end of said guide rods, a slidable yoke arranged on each of said guide rods, a bow pivoted to each of said slidable vokes, a hook on each of said last mentioned rows arranged to engage the sup )orting brackets at one end of the said guide rods to hold said how and said slidable clip against movement on said guide rods, and a suitable covering arranged on said bows, substantially as described.

3. A top of the character described comprising longitudinal guide rods, supporting brackets therefor at each end of said guide rods, a vertical bow pivoted at one end of said guide rods, a pivoted bow, means for ell'ecting a sliding connection between said last. mentioned pivoted bow and said guide rods, a hook on said last mentioned pivoted bow arranged to engage the supporting brackets at one end of said guide rods to ltlt:

llll

hold said last mentioned bow against movement on said guide rods, and a suitable covering arranged on said bows, substantially as described. 4

4. A top of the character described com )rising longitudinal uide rods, a vertical ow pivoted at one end of said guide rods, a slidable yoke arranged on each of said guide rods, a bow pivoted to said slidable yokes, a hook on said last mentioned bow, an element at one end of each of said guide rods adapted to be engaged by said hook to hold said bow and said slidable yokes against movement on said guide rods, and a suitable cover arranged on said bows, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES PUTMAN MOCLELLAN. \Vitnesses J on): \V. HAMMOND, T. I. BURT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained {or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Ietents, Washington, I). 0. 

